Chapter 4: Love?

Trace slid his truck around the corner into the clinic parking lot, Sam and Kisha were already waiting outside with a streacher. Trace jumped out of the car, yanking the doors open roughly, he helped Max lift Ivy out of the seat, setting her on the stretcher and running into the clinic with Sam and Kisha, as they entered he ducked into a nearby changing room, scrubbed up, and ran into the clinic's Operating Room. Kat was left outside in the lobby with Max, they looked at eachother anxiously. Kat was worried about her sister, and Max was worried about his mate, and pups. After what felt like an eternity of waiting Trace walked out of the Operating Room, his hands and scrubs were covered in blood, both of the Kadriens knew who's blood it was. Max stood, a look of worry on his face. He didn't say a word as he looked at Trace, awaiting the news. After a moment Trace spoke, "She's stable." Kat smiled at Trace, the joy visible in her eyes. "What about our pups?" Max asked, still looking worried. "They're fine too." Trace answered, pulling off his gloves and tossing them into a nearby trashcan. He nodded, heading into a nearby room, letting Kat and Max sit in the lobby until he returned, this time in clean clothes. "Now, one of you owes me an explination." Trace said, sitting in the waiting room across from Kat and Max. Kat looked at the floor guiltily, then she started to explain, "Ivy and Max have been being held, basically captive, by this man who sponsered their licenses. His name is Carl Brooks, he's been abusing them and forcing them to work as slaves." Anger flashed through Trace's eyes as he listened to Kat's explination. "That possibly explains this." He said, setting a large bullet tip on the coffee table between them. ".50 BMG tip. Did Carl shoot at you two Max?" Trace asked, looking up at Max as he and Kat stared at the lead tip in shock. Max slowly nodded, looking guilty. "I can help you with this, it may take some time, but I can get your liscenses taken from Carl, and possibly coverted to a higher level." Trace explained, a gentle look in his eyes as he offered his help to Max. Kat felt a few butterflies in her gut, she knew Trace could help them, and to hear him actually offer his aid solidified her newfound belief that not all humans were scumbags. "It's nice of you to offer, but we can take care of it." Max replied, frowning at the bullet that still sat on the table. Katherine's joy faded slightly. "But Max, what if Carl finds you? He's probably already angry that you ran away, you know what he'll do to your pups! Do you really want that for them?" Katherine argued, her eyes glistening, she was ready to cry, she didn't want her sister and brother-in-law to continue going through what Carl was doing to them. Max looked at Kat with a sad expression. "Imagine what he'd do to us if we got Trace's help, and got his sponsership revoked." He responded calmly. "And there's no gurrentee that whoever our new sponser is would let us keep our pups. Atleast we know that Carl would let us keep them, even if he only wanted a new set of punching bags." He finished after pausing to sigh gently. "C'mon Max! You've never been scared of that son of a b-" Katherine was cut off by Trace. "If you won't let me free you from him, I can atleast hide you, until Ivy is well enough to head out with you anyways, but if Carl finds you I'll have no choice but to hand you over. It's his Constitutional right. Protecting against 'unwarrented' search and seisure. I can't legally say he can't take you unless I bring the truth of his crimes before a judge." He explains, giving Max the run-down of what would happen if Carl were to find them. Max presses his hands against his forehead, kneeding it for a few moments, lost in thought. "Fine, I'll take the risk." Max says, frowning. Trace nodded, standing and walking toward one of the patient rooms, Kat got up and followed him. "You're going to just give up on freeing them?" She asked Trace in a whisper. "Of course not, but they need time to make a real decision. Trust me." He replied gently, putting his hand on Kat's shoulder. She blushed gently and turned her head away from him. "Fine, I'll give them some time." She answered, looking back up at him. "Good, you can tell Max he can see Ivy now if you want." Trace said, changing the subject. Kat nodded and walked over to Max imparting the news. Soon the two were at Ivy's bedside, grateful to hear the heart monitor beeping steadily. Trace was outside talking to Sam and Kisha. It was after hours, so thankfully there were no other Kadriens in the clinic, Kat could barely make out what the trio were talking about however. "Ivy will be fine, but I'm going to stay here with them. You guys go home and get some rest, once Ivy can be moved I'll take her back to my place, I've got an extra bedroom that her and Max can share." Kat overheard Trace telling Sam and Kisha. "What if Ivy goes critical? You'll need a nurse." Sam said in reply. "Kat is plently capable, no offense Kish." Trace answered. "None taken." Kisha chirped cheerfully. "Now, you two go home, have some time to yourselves." Trace said with a wink, this provoked a blush from Kisha and Sam. Max noticed Kat watching them through the door. "You sure look at that human a lot." Max said, startling her slightly. She turned to look at him with a blush. "N-no I don't!" She said, stammering slightly due to her embarrassment. Max chuckled. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." "What secret?" She asked, getting more flustered. "It's obvious you like him." Max replied non-chalantly. "W-what? N-no! We're just roommates!" Kat rsponded, her face red. "Besides he's a human." She said after pausing for a second. "That apparently didn't stop the bird girl." Max replied with a teasing smile. "Her name is Kisha, and that's different, she's been friends with Sam for years." Kat said with a frown. Max chuckled again, he had always enjoyed teasing Kat about not having a mate yet. "How long have you known Trace?" He asked, looking genuinely curious about them. "About two weeks." Kat confessed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Do you enjoy his company?" Max asked, smiling at her. "Yeah, he's funny, kind...Wait a minute...you're not tricking me that easily." Kat replied with a light grin. "I'm not trying to trick you, I'm actually curious, do you like being around him?" Max said, putting his hands up to show his innocence. "Yeah, I do...Somehow he's always so cheerful...Let's just say he's kept me sane." Kat replied, smiling gently as her mind flashed through the memories of the two weeks she had spent with Trace so far, and how much she enjoyed being around him. 'No, I can't actually like him...can I?' She thought to herself, wondering how this happened. How she had fallen for a human. Just then Trace re-entered the room. "I'm staying here with you guys, until Ivy is okay to be moved, I have a spare room at home that I can put you and Ivy in." He said, directing this last comment toward Max. Max nodded, giving Trace a grateful smile. “Thanks Trace, you’re not half-bad for a human.” He said, turning his attention back to Ivy. Kat followed Trace out of the patient room, waiting until they were out of earshot of Max to say, “Thanks…not just for saving Ivy, but for helping me, and offering to help Max. He’s right, you’re not too bad, for a human.” Trace gave Katherine a kind smile. “Thanks Katherine.” He said, his cheeks coloring ever so slightly. She blushed as he called her by her actual name, she knew it meant that he actually appreciated her words of kindness. She knew that it wasn’t possible to fall in love with someone so fast, especially not when she had grown up disliking their species, but maybe this was an exception. ‘I mean, Kisha loves Sam, and she told me that she’s seen the worst of humanity…just like I have…Maybe it’s not so far-fetched after all.’ She thought, looking up into Trace’s bright blue eyes. “Is something wrong Kat?” Trace asked, noticing the look in her eyes. She blushed and turned her head away from him. “N-no. I just…thought there was something on your face…I was wrong.” She said, clumsily coming up with an excuse. Trace raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. “So, what will happen if they still decide to refuse your help?” Katherine asked Trace as the two of them sat down on the couch in the waiting room. “Then I can’t force them.” He replied ruefully. Katherine frowned, snuggling up to Trace’s side. “There must be something we can do.” She said, looking up at Trace with a pleading look in her eyes. “Well…actually there is…but I don’t want to give Carl a reason to hurt Ivy and Max further, or endanger their pups.” Trace said, putting his arm around her shoulders supportively. “Yeah…good point…but, Max has never been scared of Carl before.” She said, laying her head on Trace’s shoulder. “He’s got Ivy and the pups to think about now, Carl has proven that he’s not above hurting Ivy to get Max to listen.” He explained, smiling sadly as she leaned against him. Soon she found herself drifting off to sleep.